Abstract:
The elucidation of the protein-carbohydrate interactions is essential for understanding their biological functions and is very promising in designing novel anticancer drugs based on carbohydrate derivatives. The main goal of this project is the development of simple, sensitive, rapid, low-cost, and low sample consumption (spectro)electrochemical method suitable for the detection of weak non-covalent protein-carbohydrate interactions. This project is focused on galectins and ferrocene or ruthenium arene organometallic galectin ligands, whose synthesis is a part of the project. Together with the basic (spectro)electrochemical characterization of new organometallic ligands, interaction studies will be evaluated by standard non-electrochemical methods. Identified high-affinity inhibitors among the studied ligands will be provided for the following in vitro cytotoxic and antimetastatic tests. New methods and obtained information may help in the development of novel anticancer drugs or in further research of galectins.